Speaking Engagements

Film subject Dr. Grace Dammann and filmmakers Helen S. Cohen and Mark Lipman have presented the film and spoken at dozens of educational institutions, hospitals, events, and film festivals around of the country.

As good friends, it is an honor to present the film with Grace to diverse audiences around the country; Grace always brings the crowd to its feet and it’s truly gratifying to see how moved people are by the experience and to know that the film will provide a lasting educational resource.

- Mark Lipman and Helen S. Cohen

Featured

Dr. Grace Dammann

Grace Dammann, MD, co-founded one of the first HIV/AIDS clinics for poor people in San Francisco at Laguna Honda Hospital during the height of the epidemic. She was honored for her work by the Dalai Lama with an Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award in 2005.

Three years after the accident, she resumed her work as a physician and returned to Laguna Honda Hospital to direct its innovative pain clinic.

Grace spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the installation of the median barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2015.

Mark Lipman &
Helen S. Cohen

(Directors/Producers)

Since 2004, award-winning directors/producers Mark Lipman and Helen S. Cohen have been creating documentary projects together under their Open Studio Productions banner. Their films have been broadcast nationally on public television and won numerous awards. States of Grace is a labor of love that emerged from a desire to witness and document a friend’s remarkable journey following a tragic, life-altering event.

Directors' Statement

WHY BOOK A SPEAKER?

States of Grace is a powerful story, and when Grace and the filmmakers are present for events, the room lights up! Audiences are inspired; inter-professional events are enriched; and students deepen their understanding of caregiving.

Contact us now to learn more about booking Grace and the filmmakers for your next conference, community screening, or professional event.

SMALL BUDGET FOR YOUR EVENT?

Grace and the filmmakers are available for a post-film discussion via Skype for a small fee.

Professional Development

For institutions and organizations seeking custom-designed use of States of Grace for professional development programs, skill-based training workshops, or with specialty group and classroom discussions, Open Studio Productions offers consultation, program design, and group facilitation on a fee-for-service basis. Programs are designed to meet an organization’s specific needs and goals, and are led by an experienced educator-facilitator in the healthcare field. Dr. Grace Dammann and filmmakers Helen S. Cohen and Mark Lipman may also be available for workshops and conference presentations.

To inquire, please email us.

PREVIEW THE FILM

Please email us to preview States of Grace before booking your event.

TESTIMONIALS

For those of us in the medical profession, the film reminds us that while our technologies offer the promise of healing, that it is in partnership with each patient that healing magic happens.

— Pamela B. Rosenthal, MD,
NYU School of Medicine

A deeply moving documentary that allows viewers to witness how resilience can coexist with despair. 'States of Grace' is a must-see for anyone who has had to deal with issues of survival, recovery, and loss. An Important and compassionate film.

—Kaethe Weingarten, PhD,
Witnessing Project

The generosity of spirit captured by the filmmakers is stunning. A humbling and profound film with meaning and lessons for all viewers.

—William B. Stewart, MD, California Pacific Medical Center, Sutter Health